Automatic car-stove-fire extinguisher



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. F. GYLES. AUTOMATIC GAR STOVE FIRE BX-TINGUISHER.

Patented May 8,1883;

INVENTOR WITNESSES Attorney )4. Firms Pmwulhoya nur. wnm mn. D. C.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. F. GYLES. AUTOMATIC GAR STOVE FIRE EXTINGUISHBR.

Patented May 8, 1888.

N. pzTcnaymnmm W Washington, D I;

7 WITNESSES (No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

J. P. GYLES. AUTOMATIC GAR STOVE PIRE-BXTINGUISHBR.

No. 277,127. Patented May 8,1883.

XIII

WITNESSES IJVVENTOR WV W' .dftorhey I N. PEIERs. Pmxomvgnp wn wuninnun. D. C.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. GYLES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC CAR-STOVE-FI'RE EXTINGUISH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,127, dated May 8, 1883,

Application filed February 7, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. GYLES, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Oar-Stove-Fire Extinguishing Apparatus, which improvement is fully set Forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire apparatus in position for use. Fig.2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the fluid-cylinder, showing the acid-bottles, with rubber bands, in position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the supporting-frame, showing the operating mechanism on the outside thereof. Fig. etis an elevation of said frame, showing the attachments for securing the cylinder on the inside thereof. Fig. 5 shows the acid bottle and detached rubber band. Fig. 6is an elevation of the supporting apron or ring and its shaft; Fig. 7, asimilar view of the supporting-crank and its shaft. Fig. 8 is aside elevation of the apron and crank united. Fig. 9 is a side view ofthe connecting tubing and detached hose pipe; Fig. 10, a similar view of the cast-iron end piece. Fig. 11 shows perspective views ofthe bottom of the fluid-cylinder and its stand. Fig. 12 shows perspective and sectional views ofthe couplings Fig. 13, a detached view of the governor-bar; Fig. 14, a similar view of a portion of the curved planes and rubber ball. Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the scalloped disk. Figs. 16 and 17 are detached views, respectively, of the angular piece a and band a; and Fig. 18 is a detached view of the means for securing the cylinder to the floor.

This improvement relates to that class of inventions described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 207,865, dated September 10,1878, and isfor the purpose of providing an air-tight fluid-reservoir in combination with suitably-im proved mechanism-as a car-stove-fire extinguisher-to operate automatically with great certainty, in which carbonic-acid gas may be employed for discharging an adequate stream of water upon the fire before the overthrow of the car has been accomplished, as hereinafter more fully stated.

The fluid reservoir is a cylinder with concavo-convex extremities, made of copper eight and three-fourth inches diameter, or of any 0th 1 er suitable metallic substance and required mension. in two or three sections, the lower section for holding five or six gallons of a suitgether as at Fig. 1,with the couplings shown at- Fig. 12,will measure about forty-sixinches, and will sustain the required pressure for accomplishing the purpose herein stated. The couplings are made with due regard to this. The parts If and t, usually known as male and female, are suitably threaded, in order to be screwed one into the other when attached to the body of the cylinder, as hereinafter more particularly described. Theinterior edge of the upper coupling, G, is made concave, as at c, and that of the lower, 0, is made convex, as at 0, while the bottom edge of the former, 0", and exterior ledge of the latter, as at 0', are made perfectly evenand smooth. In attaching these to the copper cylinder, besidesusin g the ordinary method of sweating them on, about oneeighth of an inch of the cylinder is bent over and hammered into the concavity at 0 and over the convexity, as at c, of the couplings O and 0. Thus it will be readily understood that as both the interior and exterior surfaces of the partsdescribed meetand areforciby held theone pressed against the other when the couplings are screwed together tightly, and the sections of the cylinderin such manner united,an air-tight fluid-containin g receptacle is obtained capable of withstanding a very high pressure without using a gasket or packing, which is vertically placed upon a metallic stand in the center ofan angular supporting-frame, at the back of the car-stove, as at Fig. 1, and is connected thereto is also provided a male extension-couplin g and a suitably -curved tube, D, known as a goose-neck, provided also with a collar upon its extremity, and carrying the corresponding female part of the coupling,'(the other extremity being inserted into the cast iron tube in the following manner: An aperture is made able liquid chemical solution, and when put to- Upon the concavo'convex bottom placed into the aperture atback of the stove, as hereinbefore stated.) This goose-neck is then readily coupled to the vertical tube, as at Fig. 1, and is quite as readily uncoupled (with the hand) if it becomes necessary to do so for any purpose. By this means the contents of the reservoir can at any time be ascertained, and the liquid, it necessary, either added to or drawn out by turning the tube down sidewise.

It is not necessary herein to state the manner of preparing my fire-extinguishing compound, which is used in combination with a suitable acid in generating what is known as carbonic-acid gas, for the purpose of discharging the fluid contents of the reservoir, as I make no claim therefor, but confine myself to the improvement in the mechanism, as hereinafter described, which is employed for automatically uniting such acid with the ingredients held insolution when the car tips in any direction beyond a given degree, and thereby extinguishing the fire in the stove, (with the fluid contents of the reservoir,) before the overthrow of the car has been accomplished, by means of the pressure created by the gas generated within the reservoir.

The acid-receptacle J is an eight-ounce round bottle made in two parts, as at Fig. 5, provided with flanges upon the edges of the upper and lower parts, as at i i, and projecting formations upon the sides of the upper part, as atj, and upon the bottom of the lower part, as at j. The faces of the flanges are ground in order to prevent leakage, and as a further precaution an ordinary rubber band may be placed around the same to hug the parts more closely together, as shown in Fig.2.

A circular scalloped disk or float, Fig. 15, is placed within the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of lessening the agitation of the water. There are provided two sets of parallel shafts, which are placed,one above the other, within the cylinder, each set holding an acid-bottle, as shown at Fig. 2/ In each the lower shafts, t, are provided with detachable cranks t, carrying hubs H H, with threaded apertures, and hinged bandsj upon the lower extremity, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The upper shafts, T, are made with a suitable circular aperture, the lower extremity of which is detachable, as at 2, Fig. 6. Suitable apertures, z, are formed therein, as well as upon the upper part of the detached portion a, toreceive the projections jj upon the sides of the bottle. Suitable lugs, z z z z, are provided upon the lower part of the aperture in the shafts, and corresponding lugs, z 2, on the upper part of the detached portion 2, and a pin, as at 2, is provided, for attaching the lugs after the bottle has been placed in position, and by which means the possibility of an accident in charging the apparatusis avoided. The shaft T does not extend beyond the inside diameter of the reservoir, is first adjusted into the journals L L, as at Fig. 8, and then placed, together with it, into thereservoir, when the journals areattached to the sides of same with screws. The shaft tand crank 25 are also screwed together from within the reservoir by means of the threaded apertures h h in hubs H H and correspondinglythreaded ends of the arms of the shafts, as at h h, Fig. 7, the longest portion of which is extended directly through the journals-and aperture in the reservoir, upon which beveled cogs s s are attached, as at Figs. 1 and 8. The spur-gearing M M, being previously placed upon each shaft, works within the reservoir close up to the journals, as shown at Fig. 8, thereby reudering, by reason of perfect adjustment, the apertures in the reservoir air-tight without stuffing-hoxes or packing. The journals L L, in which the shafts work, are called double journals, from the fact that each is made in one solid piece of metal, as shown atFig. 8, and are so formed to insure the working of the spur-gearing M M one into the other, as the shafts thus held cannot spring apart when acted upon by the beveled cogs s and 8 through the mechanism upon the recessed sides of the supporting-frame B B, Fig. 3; but the lower shaft, 25, carrying the crank it, is forced (in consequence of the movement of the gearing) to diverge from the upper shaft, T, carrying with it the lower part of the acid-bottle, while the upper part of it is securely held on the shaft T by means of the projections jj, entering into the apertures z z, and is emptied of the acid contents automatically. The same result will occur if the hand is placed over the top of the supporting-frame B and the semicircular toothed gearing V (which carries the short horizontal projection a, with beveled cogs s) is slightly moved to either side. Thus it will be understood that, if a hose-pipe carrying the female part of the coupling is at hand and the goose-neck is detached from the vertical tube, thehose-pipe may be readily coupled thereupon, and the apparatus made available for extinguishing a fire in any part of the car.

Upon the lower extremity of the reservoir lugs are provided, as at E E E, Fig. 11, and upon the edge of the stand E corresponding notches are made, as at EEE. When the reservoir is placed upon the stand the lugs become adjusted into the notches, and when the feet of the stand are bolted to the floor the reservoir cannot be moved from its position as shown at Fig. 1. The beveled cogs s and 8 must. therefore work effectively when operated upon through the mechanism shown at Fig. 3, and hereinafter more particularly described.

Thefluid-cylinder A, hereinhefore described, is placed vertically in the center of the angular supporting-frame B B, meeting at right angles, as shown at Fig. 4, ready for use, and is kept in that position by suitable attachments, to a, and encircling hinged hands a a.

In order to prevent the possible displacement of the fluid-containing reservoir by an over-' turning of the car,thereis providedawroughtiron collar, or, more correctly speaking, an annular appendage, as shown at m, Fig. 1, and in detail at Fig. 18, having lugs .70 x, with suitable apertures, which is placed over the convex top of the reservoir, immediately upon the coupling, and by means of iron rods 00 :0, provided with suitable heads upon the upper and threads out upon the lower ends, passed through the lugs and screwed into oblong swivels 00 m, which are bolted to the flooring of the car, the reservoir becomes immovably fixed in a vertical position, as at Fig. 1. The swivels w 00 are forged from suitable iron rods of about thirty inches long, first bent into a circle to admit of the ends beinglap-welded, and then into an ovato-oblou g shape, twelve inches long by about three broad, provided at each end with flattened apertures, that which is to become the upper aperture being suitably threaded to receive the correspondingly-threaded extremity of the rods w. The bolts y y (shown in Fig. 18) are of suitable dimensions, forged with shoulders about two inches below theupper and threads out upon the lower ends. The projecting end above the shoulder is inserted through the lower aperture of the oblong forging above described, and the protruding end hammered over the inside edge of the aperture, so as to become clinched, which then forms what constitutes and is known as a swivel, capable of being turned round readily either way by the hand, the extremity of the appended bolts being threaded, and provided with threaded nuts, as at y y, and suitable holes having been made in the flooring of the car, the bolts are driven through the same, and, with the nuts attached upon the threaded extremity beneath the flooring, are securely held in place, While the swivels :r 00, with threaded aper' tures, stand erect within the car, on each side of the reservoir, to receive the threaded extremity of rods as x, and when entered therein the heads of the same are drawn tightly down upon the lugs 00 as by turning round the swivels in such direction, and in like manner by turning in an opposite direction the rods are released, so that, if necessary, the upper portion of the reservoir may be uncoupled, or the whole removed by uncoupling the vertical tube.

The actuating mechanism is attached to the I recessed sides of the angular supporting-frame at right angles to each other, as at Fig. 3, and consist of semicircular toothed attachments r 1* upon short horizontal projections working in journals, and extending through the supporting-frame to receive beveled cogs, as at s 8, Figs; 1 and 4. Immediately under semicircular toothed gearing r r are vertical bars R R, attached near their centers to the sides of the angular frame, having similar toothed gearings, r r r 1", at both extremities, the upper cogs of which are adjusted to work into the cogs of the semicircles above described. Directly under the lower toothed extremities of the bars R R are pendulum-bars L L, provided upon their upper ends with corresponding semicircular toothed gearing, r r, with fulorumsw w and spring-catch a? a, immediately thereunder. These bars are attached to the recessed sides of the frame. so as to become connected With the gearing upon the bars above it only at'the time of peril, elongated apertures at the fulcrum-connections being provided in order to allow the pendulums to hang out of gear, and a suitably-curved bar, G, as

tably be released and thrown into gear, which,

then acting upon the mechanism hereinbefore described, will operate the beveled cogs s s, and theorank-shaft t (through the spur-gearing) then diverges fromthe upper shaft, T, by-

which means it will be readily understood that the two-part separable acid-bottle is at once 7 separated, allowing the contents to fall into the chemical liquid solution, (which is directly thereunder,) thereby generating a gaseous force sufficient to discharge the liquidcontents of the reservoir into the fire. The legs of the stand E, being then bolted to the flooring and the fluid-reservoir A immovably secured by the means hereinbefore described, and the angular supporting-frame B of the apparatus attached to the sides of the car, will insure the proper operation of the entire mechanism.

Having thus describedmy invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-stove-fire extinguisher, a vertical air-tight fluid-reservoir connected to the firebox of the stove by the curved tube D, having a male coupling-extension, D, combined with the vertical conneotingtube having a cast-iron extremity, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the vertical cylinder A, the couplings G G, the former having the concave bearing-surface c and flat edge 0, and the latter having the convex edge 0 and the outer bearing-surface, 0, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The cylinder A, having a concavo-convex bottom, which is provided with the curved tube D, having a male coupling-extension, D, combined with the vertical connecting-tube having acast-iron extremity, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The cylinder A, having a concavo-convex bottom which is provided with lugs E, in combination with the stand E, having notches E, substantially as set forth.

5. The angular supporting-frame B, provided with the semicircular attachments a a, in combination with the hinged bands at a, substantially as set forth.

6. The vertical cylinder A,'in combination with the annular rim x, having lugs to, the rods 00, swivels 92', bolts 3 and nuts substantially as and for the purpose explained.

7. The two-part supporting apron or ring 2, the upper section thereof having the. aperture 2 and lugs z, and carrying the shafts T, and the lower section having aperture zand lugs 2', combined with the pin 2, and detachable crank t, and hinged band 9', carrying the shaft t, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The two-part separable ring z, carrying the shaft T, in combination with the detachable crank-shaft t,having lugs H, with threaded aperture h, and hinged band j and shaft t, substantially as and for the purpose stated.

9. The two-part separable ring 2, carrying the shaft T, combined with the detachable crank t, carrying the shaft 1?, journals L, and

' of the extinguishing-fluid, consisting of agovernor-bar constructed to hold the pendulumgearing from engagement with the shaft-gearing of the fluid-cylinder until the said cylinder has been inclined more than forty-five degrees from its normally-vertical position, substantially as set forth.

13. In combination with the supportingframe B, the fluid extinguishing-cylinder and cylinder and its gearing and shafts, the pendulums L, provided with flattened weights P, rollers o 11, fulcrum w, and spring-catch a governor-bar G, and parallel curved planes V, having a central depression, 22, and a track or guideway, and the rubber balls G G, the whole constructed and operating substantially-as and for the purpose set forth.

16. In combination with the supportingframe B, provided with the governor-bar G and parallel curved planes V, the pendulum L, provided vvith fulcrum w, spring-catch a and toothed sector 1', bar R, having semicircular ends 4, and toothed sector 1, the whole adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17. In combination with the fluid-cylinder, the two-part apron or ring 2, and the crank 25',

and their respective shafts and gearing, the

supporting-frame B and its attached gearing, pendulum, govern or-bar G, and parallel curved planes V, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES F. GYLES.

In presence of- THOMAS R. WILSON, JOSEPH FOSTER. 

